New Guy

by **SPJ** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 1:17 am

I want to thank all of you good people for this forum. It has really been a big help to me. I got in this cow business about 3 years ago, when a friend of mine wanted to put his 12 cows on my 20 acres for one year and in return he would give me a heifer. I really enjoyed working with his cattle so I bought a few of my own. I now have 17 head; "Molly" (the original heifer), her 2 heifer calves, 5 black angus (2 are registered), 1 jersey heifer, 1 registered bull calf, 3 steer, and 4 other heifer calves. I put a new fence around my place, built the cows a barn and a corral. I take the cows to the vet every May and have them worked and they all seem to be in good health. I do not have a bull on my place, so I take the cows to the vet and he AI's them for me. A friend of mine has 25 acres that he lets me use as well. I am in the cow business to help feed my family. The first steer we had processed I went in half with a friend, we took him to the vet, we fed him for 6 months and I thought we did all the right things. The first day we got the meat home, my wife made hamburgers, her and my daughters were kind of hesitant about eating the steer that came from our place so I was the first one to eat mine and wouldn't you know it, half way through the burger, I like to have broke my tooth. Somebody shot the poor thing in the hind parts with some buckshot long before we got him, what a way to get started. So my question is: The registered bull calf (AAA 16998660) that I have should I keep him a bull, or make a steer out of him? Or should I sell him and buy a non-registered steer? Which one makes more dollars and sense? Thanks again, Phil

by **1wlimo** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 8:12 am

by **slick4591** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 8:22 am

by **Isomade** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 11:07 am

Phil. Where do you live? How old is the calf? And can you post pics of it?

by **CottageFarm** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 5:23 pm

by **SPJ** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 10:27 pm

Isomade, Sorry it took so long to reply, I have been at it since 6 am until about 8:30pm, it's been a really busy day. I live in Choctaw, OK, which is about 20 mins. east of OKC. The bull was born 5/7/11 and he weighed about 78 lbs. I will try and get some pictures of him tomorrow.